Incidence of urethral tumor involvement in 910 men with bladder cancer

Urethral tumor involvement was examined in 910 patients treated for bladder cancer at a single institution over a period of 25 years. The overall incidence in 2,052 primary and recurrent bladder-tumor events was 6.1%. Risk factors for urethral tumor occurrence are tumors at the bladder neck and recurrent multifocal tumors. Carcinoma in situ (CIS) of the bladder not involving the bladder neck and muscle-invasive tumors with or without lymph-node involvement are not significantly correlated with urethral cancer. Patients at risk for urethral tumors as outlined should be worked up very carefully (multiple urethral biopsies and/or urethral brushings, frozen section of the membranous urethra) before they are considered for an orthotopic neobladder. Altogether, 17 of 89 patients had 1-6 urethral tumor recurrences. The majority of urethral tumors were treated with a single conservative treatment session and did not recur thereafter. A conservative approach toward superficial urethral tumor recurrences in patients with an orthotopic neobladder to the urethra may therefore be feasible.